Rediscovering Delhi | Did you know Urdu Bazaar was once a treasure trove of Urdu books?

There was a time when Urdu did not have a religion. Back in 1975, we had a film called Jai Santoshi Maa, arguably the biggest hit among mythological movies. When the film released in Delhi, its posters were put up outside shops near Jama Masjid. The posters had the name of the film and the local cinema showing it scribbled in Urdu.
Why?
Because right there in all its glory was the grand old Urdu Bazaar opposite Gate number 1 of the historic Jama Masjid. It was a place where one could get the best of Urdu books, the works of fiction and non-fiction, constitutional law, Islamic law, the translation of the Quran and the Vedas and the Ramayana too.
Urdu poets and writers came down to Urdu Bazaar, some to discuss the latest in the world of Urdu literature, some to just flip through the books before buying. There were nearly 40 shops then, the most popular among them being Rashidia Book Depot, Qutub Khana Anjuman-e-Taraqqui Urdu, the Zulfiqar Book Depot and Maktaba Jamia.
Script and Voiceover: Ziya Us Salam
Production: Richard Kujur
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